History Of Hawaii

The history of Hawaii describes the era of human settlements in the Hawaiian Islands. The islands were first settled by Polynesians sometime between 124 and 1120 AD. Hawaiian civilization was isolated from the rest of the world for at least 500 years.

An expedition led by British explorer James Cook is usually considered to be the first group of Europeans to arrive in the Hawaiian Islands, which they did in 1778. However, Spanish historians and some other researchers state that the Spanish captain Ruy López de Villalobos was the first European to see the islands in 1542. The Spanish named these islands "Isla de Mesa, de los Monjes y Desgraciada" (1542), being on the route linking the Philippines with Mexico across the Pacific Ocean, between the ports of Acapulco and Manila, which were both part of New Spain. Within five years after Cook's arrival, European military technology helped Kamehameha I, ruler of the island of Hawaii, conquer and unify the islands for the first time, establishing the Kingdom of Hawaii in 1795. The kingdom was prosperous and important for its agriculture and strategic location in the Pacific.

American immigration, led by Protestant missionaries, and Native Hawaiian outmigration, mostly on whaling ships, began almost immediately after Cook's arrival. Americans set up plantations to grow sugar. Their methods of plantation farming required substantial labor. Waves of permanent immigrants came from Japan, China, and the Philippines to work in the fields. The government of Japan organized and gave special protection to its people, who comprised about 25 percent of the Hawaiian population by 1896. The Hawaiian monarchy encouraged this multi-ethnic society, initially establishing a constitutional monarchy in 1840 that promised equal voting rights regardless of race, gender, or wealth.

The population of Native Hawaiians in Hawaii declined from an unknown number prior to 1778 (commonly estimated to be around 300,000), to around 142,000 in the 1820s based on the first census conducted by American missionaries, 82,203 in the 1850 Hawaiian Kingdom census, 40,622 in the last Hawaiian Kingdom census of 1890, 39,504 in the only census by the Republic of Hawaii in 1896, and 37,656 in the first census conducted by the United States in 1900 after the annexation of Hawaii to the United States in 1898. Since Hawaii has joined the United States the Native Hawaiian population in Hawaii has increased with every census to 289,970 in 2010.

Americans within the kingdom government rewrote the constitution, severely curtailing the power of King "David" Kalākaua, and disenfranchising the rights of most Native Hawaiians and Asian citizens to vote, through excessively high property and income requirements. This gave a sizeable advantage to plantation owners. Queen Liliʻuokalani attempted to restore royal powers in 1893 but was placed under house arrest by businessmen with help from the United States military. Against the Queen's wishes, the Republic of Hawaii was formed for a short time. This government agreed on behalf of Hawaii to join the United States in 1898 as the Territory of Hawaii. In 1959, the islands became the state of Hawaii.

Ancient Hawaii

Discovery and settlement

The date of the first settlements of the Hawaiian Islands is a topic of continuing debate. Patrick Vinton Kirch's books on Hawaiian archeology, standard textbooks, date the first Polynesian settlements to about 300, with more recent suggestions by Kirch as late as 600. Other theories suggest dates as late as 700 to 800. The most recent survey of carbon-dating evidence puts the arrival of the first settlers at around A.D. 940–1130.

The history of the ancient Polynesians was passed down through genealogy chants that were recited at formal and family functions. The genealogy of the high chiefs could be traced back to the period believed to be inhabited only by gods. The ''pua aliʻi'' ("flower of royalty") were considered to be living gods.

By about 1000, settlements founded along the perimeters of the islands were beginning to cultivate food in gardens.

A Tahitian priest named Pā‘ao is said to have brought a new order to the islands around 1200. The new order included new laws and a new social structure that separated the people into classes. The ''aliʻi nui'' was the king, with his ''ʻaha kuhina'' just below them. The ''aliʻi'' were the royal nobles with the ''kahuna'' (high priest) below them, the ''makaʻāinana'' (commoners) next with the ''kauā'' below them as the lowest ranking social caste.

The rulers of the Hawaiian islands (''noho aliʻi o ko Hawaiʻi Pae ʻAina'') are a line of Native Hawaiians who were independent rulers of various subdivisions of the islands of Hawaii. Their genealogy is traced to Hānalaʻanui and others. The ''aliʻi nui'' were responsible for making sure the people observed a strict '' kapu'' (a code of conduct relating to taboos). The system had rules regarding many aspects of Hawaiian social order, fishing rights and even where women could eat. After the death of Kamehameha I, the system was abolished, and the Hawaiian religion soon fell as the gods were abandoned.

By 1500 Hawaiians began to spread to the interiors of the islands and religion was more emphasized.

Prior to conquest by Kamehameha I, the islands did not have a single name, as each island was ruled as separate kingdoms known only by the island names. The first recorded names of the island by Captain Cook reflect this fact. Kamehameha I, as ruler of the island of Hawaii, imposed the name "Hawaii" on the islands.

Religion

There were atheists, known as 'aia, in Hawaii. However, the dominant religion in Hawaii, similar to many other Polynesian societies, was the kapu or taboo religion, which has a theology, ritual and a code of conduct. There are many gods and heroes with many different people worshiping different gods in different ways. In one tradition, Wākea, the Sky Father, wed Papahānaumoku, the Earth Mother. From their union came all others, including the other gods. In another traditional genealogy named Pu-anue, Kumukumu-ke-kaa and her husband Paia-a-ka-lani were the mother and father of the earth and heavens. Another genealogy declares that Ka-mai-eli and Kumu-honua were the mother and father.

The kapu religion in Hawaii was polytheistic, with four deities most prominent: Kāne, Kū, Lono and Kanaloa. Other notable deities include Laka, Kihawahine, Haumea, Papahānaumoku, and, most famously, Pele. In addition, each family is considered to have one or more guardian spirits or family gods known as ʻaumakua to protect them. One such god is Iolani, the god of alii families.

One breakdown of the Kapu pantheon in Hawaii consists of the following groups:
* four major gods (''ka hā) – Kū, Kāne, Lono, Kanaloa
* forty male gods or aspects of Kāne (''ke kanahā'')
* four hundred gods and goddesses (''ka lau'')
* a multitude of gods and goddesses (''ke kini akua'')
* spirits (''na unihipili'')
* guardians (''na aumākua'')
Another breakdown consists of three major groups:
* four gods, or ''akua'': Kū, Kāne, Lono, Kanaloa
* many lesser gods, or ''kupua'', each associated with certain professions
* guardian spirits, ''aumakua'', associated with particular families

Liloa, Hākau and ʻUmi a Līloa

Liloa

Līloa was a legendary ruler of the island of Hawaii in the late 15th century. His royal compound was in Waipiʻo Valley. His line is traced to Hawaiian "creation".

Līloa had two sons; his firstborn Hākau from his wife Pinea, (his mother's sister), and his second son, ʻUmi a Līloa from his lesser ranking wife, Akahi a Kuleana. Upon his death, elevated Hākau as ruler and delegated religious authority to ʻUmi. Akahi a Kuleana was of a lesser line of chiefs who Liloa had fallen in love with when he discovered her bathing in a river. The couple met when Liloa was visiting Hamakua. He claimed his right to her as King and she accepted.

Liloa's Kāʻei is his sacred feathered sash, now kept at the Bishop Museum. _Līloa's_mother,_Waioloa,_his_grandmother,_Neʻula_and_great_grandmother,_Laʻa_kapu_were_of_the_ ʻEwa_Beach,_Hawaii, ʻEwa_aliʻi_lines_of_Oahu._Liloa's_father_ruled_Hawaii_as_''aliʻi_nui''_and_upon_his_death_elevated_Līloa._Kiha_had_had_four_other_sons,_Kaunuamoa,_Makaoku,_Kepailiula_and_Hoolana,_whose_descendants_are_the_Kaiakea_family_of_ Molokai,_distant_relatives_of_Abraham_Fornander's_daughter.

In_his_book,_David_Malo_described_how_Liloa_originated_the_practice_of_''moe_āikane'',_the_sexual_relationship_between_males._The_relationships_had_no_social_stigma_and_were_accepted_practice_beginning_with_the_alii_and_then_copied_by_the_other_classes._Warriors_engaged_in_the_practice._The_relationships_cannot_be_defined_as_ bisexuality._In_many_cases,_the_men_involved_felt_it_an_honor_and_responsibility_to_honor_their_''hana_lawelawe''.

__Hākau_

Just_before_his_death,_Liloa_bestowed_on_Hākau_the_succession_as_Chief,_telling_Umi_that_he_was_to_serve_as_his_"man"_(Prime_Minister)_and_that_both_were_to_respect_the_other_and_should_either_have_issue_with_the_other_it_would_be_for_them_to_decide._At_first_a_decent_king,_Hākau_soon_became_brutal._To_avoid_his_brother's_anger,_'Umi_exiled_himself_to_another_district.

Hākau_refused_to_help_Nunu_and_Ka-hohe,_his_father's_two_favorite,_ailing_Kahuna_who_had_requested_food._This_was_considered_highly_insulting._The_two_were_of_the_priestly_class_of_the_god_Lono_

In_Hawaiian_religion,_the_god_Lono_is_associated_with_fertility,_agriculture,_rainfall,_music_and_peace._In_one_of_the_many_Hawaiian_stories_of_Lono,_he_is_a_fertility_and_music_god_who_descended_to_Earth_on_a_rainbow_to_marry_Laka._In_agricultu_...